I am counting the hours until we leave for the Amazon in Southern Colombia, near Leticia. Going from sea level in Costa Rica to an elevation over 2500m in Bogota has been quite the experience. This is the Andes and while it may be a bit chilly, it is still tropical.
We arrive at the airport in Bogota and pay a Canadian reciprocity fee, which is basically like a monetary apology for what Canadian mining companies are doing in Colombia right now. The woman taking my credit card looks overwhelmingly like Sophia Vergara and while she is asking for my signature, I contemplate asking for her autograph. But she is decidedly not impressed even remotely by my Spanish, so I pass. We spend a chill evening, learning our immediate surroundings, grocery shopping (which is one of my favorite foreign activities to do!!!) and settling into our little hotel in the quiet streets of the Chapinero District. Our hostess, Marlene, is an infinite wealth on fruits and their various health benefits. We stuff our baskets with yellow dragon fruits, passion fruits and ganabana.
Our first full day in Colombia is a Sunday, and so it is the perfect day to meet Jaime Ortiz Mariño. He is the founding father of Cyclovia, which occurs every Sunday in Bogota, in which the city closes main roads so the general public can enjoy cycling, running, rollerblading, walking or just watching the others do all the above right through the heart of the city. Jaime (pronounced Hay-me) regales our group with his life in the 1960s, full of peace, love and rock & roll... but more importantly, a time when the youth in America saw that the system was flawed, so they stood up to make a change. He has been continuing to do so ever since.
We head out into the streets, and are pleased to see them filled with people enjoying their Sunday ride. I try to imagine this taking place in Vancouver and consider pleading with Jaime to visit Mayor Gregor Robertson. It is truly a beautiful thing to see all these people, of all ages, races and social background come together to enjoy their city and be fit.
After walking through the streets with Jaime, we arrive at a charming city market. The first thing that catches my eye are these beautiful, colorful bags called "mochilas". We are strictly forbidden from taking photos in the market, but I am a sneaky picture ninja, so I capture the below image right before buying myself a beautiful bag. Mochilas are the key accessory of Colombians - used by men, women and children. Traditionally woven in the North of Colombia, they come in all sizes, with varying colours and patterns. The smallest were originally used to carry coca, and they are so adorable that I buy two for my nieces.
After the market, we head to the Bogota botanical gardens (Jardin Botanico de Bogota). It starts to rain and anyone who is not wearing a hydrophobic hazmat suit gets wet. Very wet. Because this is a tropical rain storm, so rather than drizzling, or even pouring, it is like walking under a waterfall (fun fact, this was three days ago now, and my shoes are still drying.)
While the adventure is just getting started, our group has grown closer in leaps and bounds. There is such a wide variety of disciplines from Business, to Psychology, to Design and we have so much to share with each other, and so much to learn. Our instructors, Lee and Farhad are a wealth of knowledge and experience which adds an incredible dynamic to our adventure. While yes, this is a school trip, it is also the best example that some things just cannot be taught in a classroom.
